Untruths and Lies

Considering a rather notorious (strictly professional) connection with Ms. Moore, of 'bury bad news in 9/11' fame, it is perhaps an odd coincidence that what struck me as a rather momentous bit news was lurking today in a small backwater of the online news media I was browsing, all of which are swamped still with the bomb plot latest. It was, quite simply, that a senior member of government, Stephen Byers, lied, and had to admit that he had lied. Not forgot (or did not recall). Not bent the facts. Lied. I don't know if it was the skill of the interrogator or the obvious stack of evidence as proof, but he seemed pretty well bound to say it as it was. No Clintonian or Blairite verbal convolutions here. Not even, as I can see, an attempt at raising context or attempting justification. To mix it metaphorically in the farmyard, a porky was uttered, and now it has come home to roost. Thing is, what will be the consequences? I have long instilled in my kids that they should not lie, and rely on those who set examples to live up to that. But with kids I also know that if there are no consequences to being caught out, the whole system breaks down.